Flowers and Easter eggs symbolise the public's affection and sadness

By Sean O'Neill

12:01AM BST 01 Apr 2002

AMONG the hundreds of clumps of daffodils growing on the wide verges of The Mall, new blooms and colours appeared yesterday.

There were carnations of all shades, lilies, mixed bouquets still wrapped in supermarket cellophane, one or two elaborate arrangements, and the odd bunch that appeared to have been uprooted from a flowerbed.

Those who could not find flowers improvised their own forms of tribute. They brought flags, made their own sympathy cards and wrote messages on the back of postcards bearing the Queen Mother's picture.

There was a handful of chocolate eggs, a child's doll and a candle burning in a glass someone had brought from their kitchen to shelter its flame from the wind. Some people simply stopped for a few moments to offer a prayer.

They gathered at Clarence House, the Queen Mother's home, and a few yards away at St James's Palace where a steady parade of mourners queued to pass through a metal detector before signing the Books of Condolence.

In all, 16 books were laid out on tables draped with black cloths in the Lower Corridor of the palace - a long, red-carpeted room. One was set aside for members of the royal household.

Notices requested that people sign only their names and addresses to keep the waiting time to a minimum. Some of the Queen Mother's most ardent admirers were among the first to sign.

Marion Russell, 59, who slept outside St James's overnight, was first in the queue, followed by John Loughrey, 47, who laid a flag of St George outside, and Ted Larkin, 81, dressed in his clown's outfit.

The Queen Mother knew Mr Larkin, from Wandsworth, as the Great Garibaldi and had written to thank him for his good wishes on her 100th birthday.

"A clown sheds tears sometimes and I'm very near that now. She was a very gracious person," said Mr Larkin.

Susan Walsh signed one of the Books of Condolence at St James's, left flowers at Clarence House, then walked to Buckingham Palace where the official announcement of the Queen Mother's death was displayed on the gates.

"I feel sad but I am grateful and thankful that she lived to 101," said Mrs Walsh, 59.

Anne Griffiths, from Swiss Cottage, north London, visited with her husband, Howard. "She has been a constant in everyone's life for so long and given years of service to the country so we wanted to pay our respects," said Mrs Griffiths, 49.

"I am not especially a royalist but she was an exception. She was an institution. I don't think I would come here for any of the others."

John and Pamela Farr, from Yeovil, Somerset, travelled to London from St Albans, Herts, where they had been spending the weekend. "She was marvellous and we wanted to thank her for all she has done," said Mr Farr, 62.

One of the youngest mourners was Connor Moore, aged four, whose Canadian father Bruce, 36, said his son's curiosity had been sparked by hearing of the death on the car radio.

"Connor wanted to know what was going on," said Mr Moore. "He has written to the Queen asking her how she is feeling and telling her to make sure she gets out in the fresh air and doesn't stay inside all day feeling sad."